Smoke detector and signal for diesel locomotives



Oct. 23, 1951 c. N. CAHUSAC ET AL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNALFOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5, 1946 7Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1951 c. N. cAHusAc: ET AL SMOKE DETECTOR ANDSIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed Jun 5, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct.23, 1951 c. N. CAHUSAC ET AL SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESELLOCOMOTIVES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 5, 1946 I Z 7 INVE NTOBS BY MQMJTTOENEY c 3, 9 c. N. cAi-lusAc ETAL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES F;led June 5, 1946 7Sheets-Sheet 4 Y Z 7 "WA-W752;

BY MA ATTORNEY v 1951 c. N. cAHusAc ET AL 7 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Q X J \u. 3 w

YEA/7025 g/ 4 gian 5y znroe/ver Oct. 23, 1951 c, c us c ETAL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5. 1946 7Sheets-Sheet 6 1951 c. N. cAHusAc ET AL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5, 1946 7Sheets-Sheet 7 Z/WCwIENTORS BY -Mdm Patented Oct. 23, 1951 SMOKEDETECTOR AND SIGNAL FUR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Clarence Noel Cahusac,Newark, and Donald A. Diehl, Arlington, N. 3., assignors to C-O-Two FireEquipment 00., Newark, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application June5, 1946, Serial No. 674,522

Claims.

This invention relates in general to apparatus for detecting andannouncing the existence, at a point remote from the apparatus, of afluid having particles of matter suspended therein, such as smoke; andone object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which shallembody a novel and improved construction combination and arrangement ofparts that is especially adapted for detecting the presence of smoke ina locomotive driven by diesel engines, particularly smoke below thefloor of the locomotive which might be generated by heat from themotors.

The detecting and signaling mechanism is of the general type describedand claimed in United States Patent No. 2,301,367, dated November 10,1942, which comprises means for producing a beam of li ht, means forconducting a stream of fluid, such as smoke, into said light beam, aphotoelectric element of the generative type located with resnect tosaid beam and said fluid stream to receive light ravs reflected fromsuspended matter in said fluid stream, another photoelectric elementlocated to receive light rays transmitted through said fluid stream,means connecting said photoelectric elements in an electric circuitwhereby the photoelectric effects of the first-mentioned element and anelectrical responsive means, such as a relay or Sensitrol, in saidcircuit for controlling the production of an audible or visible signal.

The apparatus constituting the present invention also contemplates noveland improved means for accumulating or collecting the smoke from a pointnear the source of the fire and conveying the smoke to the detector andsignal mechanism so that the latter will produce a warning of thepresence of the smoke.

A further object of the invention is to provide means including a novelconstruction combination and arrangement of parts for collecting oraccumulating smoke from points beneath the floor of a locomotiveregardless of the direction of travel of the locomotive.

Another object is to provide such smoke-collecting or accumulatingapparatus wherein the air currents incident to movement of thelocomotive shall be utilized in forcing the smoke from the point oforigin to the detector and signal mechanism.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be broughtout by the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of a diesel locomotive having asmoke-accumulating, detecting and signalling apparatus embodying ourinvention, portions of the locomotive being broken away for clearness inillustration.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the locomotive and apparatusillustrated in Figure 1 with portions of the locomotive broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective View of one of the smoke collectors.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the smoke detector andsignal mechanism with the front wall of the casing removed and portionsbroken away and shown in section.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 65 ofFigure 4. I

Figure '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line !1 ofFigure 4.

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevational View of the fan or pump fordrawing smoke from the collectors to the detector, and the filter forfiltering solid particles from the smoke, with the front wall of thecasing removed and portions broken away and shown in section.

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram of the detector and signal mechanism.

Figure 10 is a schematic front elevational View of a modification of thesmoke-collecting mechanism.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view on the line llll of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 10 showing amodification of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary schematic plan view similar to Figure 1,showing a modification of the smoke-collecting apparatus. I

Specifically describing the invention, the refer ence character Adesignates a locomotive driven by diesel engines which have beenomittedfor clearness in illustration, the car having the usual wheeled trucks Bby which the car is adapted to run on railroad rails.

Beneath the floor I of the locomotive, adjacent and above the trucksB,,.are a plurality of smoke collectors C that are connected by pipes Dthrough a filter E to a fan or pump F which draws the smoke from thecollectors C and forces it into a detector mechanism G. The collectors Care so grouped and arranged that they will effectively collect smokeregardless of the direction of movement of the locomotive.

More particularly, there are at the rear end of the locomotive andbehind the rear trucks B, a pair of collectors '2 having their open endsfacing forwardly, while at the forward end of the locomotive and behindthe front'trucks B is at least one collector 3 having its open end facinforwardly, so that upon forward motion of the locomotive the collectors2 and 3 will pick up or collect any smoke that may be present beneaththe locomotive. The collectors 2 and 3 are connected to a commonmanifold pipe which is in turn connected by a pipe 5 to the inlet of thefilter E.

At the forward end of the locomotive and ahead of the forward trucks B,are smoke collectors 6, while at the rear end of the locomotive andahead of the rear trucks B, is at least one smoke collector i, saidcollectors 6 and I having their open ends facing rearwardly so that uponbackward movement of the locomotive smoke will be collected by all ofsaid collectors. These collectors are connected to a common manifoldpipe 8 which is in turn connected by a pipe 9 to the inlet of the filterE.

If desired, other smoke collectors It) may be arranged in the batteryboxes ll of the locomotive and may be connected by a pipe l2 to thefilter E. In some instances, it may also be desirable to provide smokecollectors 13 at various points within the locomotive and connect thesecollectors to any of the pipes 5, 9 or I2.

The collectors may be of any suitable construction, but preferably arefan-shaped in plan View with wide and narrow open ends it as best shownin Figure 3. The pipes 5, 9 and I2 conveniently may be connected to acommon manifold inlet pipe 15 for the filter E which is connected to oneend of the filter casing 16 within which is arranged any suitableelement that may include and pieces I! connected by a porous filteringmedium I 8, through which the smoke passes to an outlet is that isconnected to the inlet of a centrifugal fan 20, the outlet of which isconnected by a pipeZl to the inlet 22 of the smoke detector mechanism.This smoke detector mechanism is shown as comprising a smoke compartment23 having the inlet 22 and an outlet 24 which may extend to any suitablepoint, for example upwardly through the roof of the loco motive; andsaid compartment .23 is enclosed within a main housing 25.

At one end of the compartment 23, is a suitable lens system 26, and injuxtaposition thereto and within the main housing 25 is a light source,such as an incandescent lamp 2?, .so that rays of light from the lampwill be projected through the lens system 26 in a parallel beam into thecompartment 23.

.At least one photoelectric element 28 is mounted on a. bracket whichincludes two sections .29 and 38, the latter of which is adj-ustablyconnected by a slot-and-screw connection 3| to the bottom wall of thesmoke compartment 23, so that the cell 28 may be swung in a horizontalplane relative to the light beam, or moved toward and away from thelight beam. The two sections 28 and 30 are adjustably connected asbyascrewand-slot connection 32 so that the cell 28 may be adjustedvertically.

The cell 28 is normally located at one side of the light beam so as tobe sensitive to the light rays reflected from the suspended matter inthe smoke entering the compartment through the inlet 22, and may be ofany suitable type such as the current generating barrier layer typehaving a large fiat rectangular exposed lightsensitive surface 33whereby the cell is capable of generating sufficient current to operatea Sensitrol without amplification of the electricity. Preferably, thelight-sensitive surface is exposedin close proximity to the outerboundaries of the light beam and tilted obliquely with respect to saidbeam, so that said surface is inclined away from the light source .asshown in 1 point but is shown in the housing 25.

4 Figure 5, thus insuring great sensitivity and at the same timereducing the effect of stray light rays on the cell when no smoke ispresent.

lhe photoelectric element 28 is connected in circuit with any suitableelectrical responsive device, such as a Sensitrol" relay 34 which may bemounted on the rear Wall of the housing 25 and exposed through anopening in the front wall of said housing; and said Sensitrol controlsanother circuit which may include any desired electrically operateddevice, such as a signal lamp 35 mounted on an instrument control board36 in the locomotive, or a howler or audible signal 3? that may belocated at any suitable The circuit for connecting the Sensitrol with asource of electricity, said signals and the photoelectric elements isshown in Figure 9 and will be later described.

Another photoelectric element 38, which may be of the same type as theelement 28, is mounted by a bracket 39 on the bottom wall of the smokecompartment 23, with its sensitive side directed away from the lightsource and toward a reflector 40 that is mounted on one end of thecompartment to receive the light beam and refleet some of the light raystherefrom to the cell 33.

To vary the extent of the exposure of the photoelectric element 33 tothe reflected light rays, a shutter or baffle plate 4! is located inspaced opposed relation to the light-sensitive surface of said cell andis movable toward and away from said surface by a .screw 42 threaded inthe shutter and rotatable in bearings 43 and 44, and having one endprojecting from the compartment and provided with a finger piece 45. Thebearin 43 is mounted on a plate 4.5 secured to the bottom wall of thecompartment 23 and, desirably, said plate has a guide 41 to hold theshutter 41 against rotation and to insure smooth movement thereof.

The photoelectric element 38 is connected in circuit with thephotoelectric element 2.8 and the *Sensitrol 34 in what is known as anopposed parallel arrangement, or so that the photoelectric eifects ofthe said elements are caused to operate in compensating differential oropposing relation; in other words, the electrodes of the element 38 areconnected respectively to the opposite electrodes of the element 28 ure9).

With this construction, initially the photoelectric cell circuit is soadjusted that the relay 34 or other device will assume a normalcondition, for example to open the signal circuit when no smoke ispresent in the compartment and when smoke or other fluid containingsuspended matter is caused to fiow through said compartment into thebeam of light, some of the fight rays will be reflected from the solidparticles in the stream upon the photoelectric element .28, whereuponthe relay or other device 34 will be actuated by the current in thephotoelectric cell circuit, for example to close the signal circuit. Inthis connection, it may be well to point out that the relay 34 has apointer or contactrarm 48 which is responsive to current in thephotoelectric cell circuit and normally is spaced from the fixed contact49, but is actuated into engage-. ment with said contact when thephotoelectric cell .is energized.

It will be observed that the cell 29 will be continuously somewhataffected by stray light rays from the beam even when no smoke is presentin (see Figthe compartment 28, and the cell will be further afi'ected byslight variations in the intensity 'or candle power of the light source21, which without some means to prevent it will result in irregular orunsteady operation of the Sensitrol 34'. By rotating a screw 42, theshutter 41 may be adjusted to vary the amount of light reflected fromthe reflector 40, and thus when no smoke is present in the compartment23, the effect of the light on the cell 28 may be balanced by the effectof the light on the cell 38, whereby a steady and normal setting of theSensitrol pointer 48 may be obtained.

When the relay or Sensitrol is energized by electricity generated by thephotoelectric cell 28, its pointer or contact arm 48 engages the contact49 and tends to remain in such contact. The Sensitrol is a well-knownmechanism and includes means for resetting this contact arm from anydesirable remote point and, as schematically shown in Figure 9, theresetting mechanism includes a resetting rod 55 normallyspring-influenced away from the movable contact arm 48 and actuated intoengagement with said contact arm by a solenoid The solenoid 5| isconnected in an electric circuit with normally open reset switches 52and 53 which may be arranged at any suitable point, for example one inthe housing 25 and the other on the instrument panel 35 in thelocomotive, the operation being such that when either of the s itches 52or 53 is closed, the coil 5| will be ener ized to push the resetting rod50 with a snap action against the contact arm 48 which thereby will bepushed back to its normal osition.

-While the photoelectric cells, light source, Sensitrol, signals andmotor 54 for driving the fan 2|] may be connected in circuit indifferent ways. a preferred arrangement is s o n in Fi ur 9 of t e drain s. Here t e coil for o rating the Sensitrol relay is desi nated as 55and is sho n as connected in circuit as abo e described with t e t o potoelectric cel s 28 and 3B. The Sensitrol relay contacts 48 and 49control a o er r lay 56 which includes an e e troma net c co l 51 andrelay s itches 58 and 59 actuated thereby. the former of which controlsthe circuit through the signal lamp 35. whi e the latter may control anyexternal alarm circuit such as a howler or a bell or gong 31.

The circuit also preferably includes a supervisory lamp relay generallydesignated 68 and including a coil Bi and a switch 62 actuated therebythat is connected in circuit with a trouble buzzer 63. Connected incircuit with the coil 6|, are the exciter lamp 2! and a resistance 65.

In operation of the construction so far described, assuming thelocomotive is traveling forwardly and no smoke is present in thevicinity of the collectors C, the light beam is projected through thesmoke compartment 23, but the photoelectric cells are unaffected becauseof the absence of smoke, so that all of the signals are inactive. Shouldsmoke arise beneath the locomotive, it will be drawn through thecollectors 2 and 3 by the fan F in conjunction with the force of the aircurrents incident to movement of the locomotive through the filter E andinto the smoke compartment 23, whereupon the photoelectric cells will beenergized and the various visible and audible signals will be operated.Similarly, if smoke should arise within the locomotive, it will beconducted to the smoke compartment from the collectors l3 so as to causeoperation of the signals. After the signals have been noted, theSensitrol may be reset by closing either of the switches 52 and 53.

Should the locomotive be moving rearwardly with smoke beneath thelocomotive, the smoke will be picked up by the collectors 6 and I, andthereupon the signals will be operated as hereinbefore described.Similarly, smoke accumulating in the battery boxes II will be conductedto the.

detector G so as to cause operation of the signals.

In Figures 10 and 11 is illustrated a modification of the system Whichin general is the same as that heretofore described, but includes adevice for reducing the effect of suction on the rearwardly facingcollectors when the locomotive is moving forwardly and vice versa. Asshown, this system includes the collectors 66 and 51 that correspond tothe collectors 2 and 3, and collectors 6B and 69 that correspond to thecollectors 6 and l. The collectors 65 and 61 are connected to themanifold pipe 10 which corresponds to the pipe 4, while the collectors68 and 69 are connected to a manifold pipe H which corresponds to thepipe 8. 1

The manifold pipes Ill and H are connected to a valve casing 12 atopposite Sides of a valve plate or vane '53 that is pivotally mounted atone end in the casing 12 on a shaft 14, so that swinging of the vane ineither direction will contact with and close the end of one of the pipesH3 or H. Smoke is conducted into the casin '52 from the collectors andis conducted from said casing to the filter and fan through a pipe 15.The vane or plate 13 is actuated-by air currents incident to movement ofthe locomotive. As shown, the shaft 14 projects from the casing l2transversely of a tube 15 and has connected thereto one end of a vane 11so that the latter may swing in said tube in either direction under theinfluence of air currents generated by movement of the locomotive.

With this construction, when the locomotive ismoving in one direction,the vane 11 will actuatethe valve plate 13 to close the one of the pipesHi and H through which otherwise suction would be created in the casing12. In other words, when the locomotive is moving forwardly or to theleft in Figure 10, the pipe II will be closed to prevent the rearwardlyfacing collectors from creating suction in the casing 12, while when thelocomotive is traveling backwardly, the pipe 18 will be closed toprevent creation of suction on the casing 52 by the forwardly facingcollectors. I

A modification of the invention is shown in Figure 12, where the vane 11is omitted and the valve plate 18 is actuated at will to close either ofthe pipes 10 or H. As shown an electromagnet I9 is mounted on the casingwhich corresponds to the casing 72 at each of opposite sides of thevalve plate 28 which corresponds to the plate 13, and the coils of saidmagnets are connected in parallel circuits with a source of electricity82 and a common switch 83, so that either magnet may be energized toattract and swing the plate 8| into closing relation to either of thepipes T9 or H. Of course, if desired, the magnets 19 might be used inconjunction with the vane 77 so that at the will of the operator eitherpipeiB or H could be closed, regardless of the air currents developed asthe result of movement of the locomotive.

It will beunders'tood by those skilled in the art that the specificconstruction and arrange ment of the smoke-collecting apparatus may bemodified according to the conditions under which the apparatus is "to beused, and in some cases it may be preferable to .use perforated pipes asthe collectors :insteadof the fan-shaped collectors C hereinbeforedescribed. In Figure 13 of the drawings is illustrated a modified formof smokecollecting apparatus which comprises a plurality of elongatecylindrical hollow elements 84 that have :a. plurality ofapertures oropenings 85, each of which is connectediby a pipe 8-6 to aheader pipe8'! which leads to, for example, the manifold inlet pipe 15 or throughsome other means to the smoke detector. The collectors 84 may be locatedat desired points, for example as are the collectors 2 and I, or 3 andG, and with this form of collector it is not necessary that thecollector face in any particular direction.

Moreover, the collectors 84 can be formed of pieces of pipe havingplugged ends and the lengths and shapes of the pipes can be varied asdesired to accommodate various conditions and different locations inwhich the apparatus is to be installed. For example, the perforatedcollector pipes might extend throughout the length of the locomotive andbe bent to enter corners or partially enclosed spaces. The subjectmatter concerning the structure of the smoke detector is claimed anddescribed in C. N. Cahusac and F. B. Allen patent application, SerialNo. 74,341, filed February '3, 1949, as a continuationin-partapplication of Serial No. 604,892, filed July 13, 1945, now Patent No.2,464,211.

Various other modifications and changes in the details of constructionof the apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art as within thespirit and scope of the invention, and it will also be understood thatthe apparatus may be utilized in conjunction with other types ofvehicles or machines than the diesel locomotive herein specificallymentioned.

Having thus described the invention, What we claim is:

l. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternativelyin the forward or in thereverse direction, the vehicle having at leastone wheeled truck, the smoke detecting system comprising a smokedetector, a collector at each end of the truck and facing the truck,smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to thesmoke detector, and smoke passage obstructing means responsive to themovement of the vehicle and adapted to alternatively close the smokepassage means from either collector depending upon the direction ofmovement of the vehicle and operative to close the passage of thecollector facing rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement ofthe vehicle.

2. A smoke detecting system for use on avehicle operative alternativelyin the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at leastone wheeled truck, the smoke detecting system comprising a smokedetector, a collector at each endof the truck and facing the truck,smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to thesmoke detector, and a valve responsive to the movement of the vehicleand adapted to alternatively close the smoke passage means from eithercollector depending upon the direction of movement of the vehile andoperative to close the passage of the collector facing rearwardly withrespect to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

3. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternativelyin the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at leastone Wheeled truck, the system comprising a smoke detector, a collectorat each end of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passage means forconnecting each of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, and avane operated valve normally in an open position and responsive to themovement of the vehicle and adapted to alternatively close the smokepassage means from either collector responsive to air currents inducedby and in a direction depending upon the direction of movement of thevehicle, the vane-operated valveadapted to close the passage of thecollector facing rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement ofthe vehicle.

4. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternativelyin the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at leastone wheeled truck, the system comprising "a smoke detector, a collectorat each end "of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passagemeans forconnecting each-of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, a valvecasing having a pair -.of opposed inlets each in fluid communicationwith a collector and an outlet in fluid communication with the smokedetector, and a vane-operated valve member in the valve casingandadapted to alternatively close one or the other of the pair ofopposed inlets responsive to the movement of air flowing inwardlythrough the forwardly facing collector and adapted to close the inletfrom the rearwardly facing collector depending upon the direction ofmovementof the vehicle.

'5. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operativealternatively in the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehiclehaving at least one wheeled truck, the system comprising a smokedetector, a-col-lector at each end of the truck and facing the truck,smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to thesmoke detector, a valve casing having a pair of opposed inlets each influid communication with a collector, and an outlet in fluidcommunication with the smoke detector. and a thin flat pivotallysupported member positioned between the inlets and adapted to be swungalternatively to close one or the other of the inlets depending upon thedirection of the vehicle so as to close the inlet of the rearward-1yfacing collector, whereby only the forwardly facing collector withrespect to the movement of the vehicle will be in fluid communicationwith the smoke detector.

CLARENCE NOEL CAHUSAC. DONALD A. DIEHL.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 1,154,128 Rich Sept.21, 19151,296,499 Fether Mar. 4, 1919 1,343,911 Freygang et a1 June 22, 19201,755,834 Marr et 'al Apr. '22, 1930 1,828,894 Freygang Oct. 2'7, 19311,923,349 Wolverton Aug. 22, 1933 2033,466 Grant Mar. 10, 1936 2,118,836Carter May 31, 1938 2,301,367 Cahusac et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,361,924Boyn-ton Nov. 7, 1944 2,408,660 Lannge Oct. '1, 19-1-16 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 25,266 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1906 442,112 Germany.Mar. .23, v1927

